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A Turkish hospital official says an armed police officer receiving psychiatric treatment at an Istanbul hospital barricaded himself into a room and attempted to commit suicide on Wednesday, causing panic.

Earlier, Turkish media reports said the man had taken doctors and other staff hostage at Istanbul's Cerrahpasa hospital.

But the hospital spokesman, shown on Dogan news agency video, says all staff have been evacuated from the psychiatry unit and police negotiators are trying to persuade the man not to harm himself.